1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to surgical loops used in occluding blood vessels during surgery and more particularly to a loop having a flat or plurality of flat engaging surfaces.
2. Description of the Prior Art
During surgery, it is often necessary to occlude the flow of blood through a blood vessel. Such occlusion may be accomplished by means of a vessel occluding instrument, such as that described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,611,593; 3,880,166; and 3,993,076. In addition to the use of vessel occluding instruments, it is also a well known practice to use silicon loops to occlude the flow of blood. Such silicon loops are also utilized in the vessel occluding instruments described in the previously mentioned patents and are referred to as "tape" in these patents.
The loops that have been used to date typically have either a circular or elliptical cross section. While such loops have typically been adequate, the loops have had a tendency to slip when wrapped around a blood vessel, especially when the blood vessel is wet or covered with blood.
The present invention addresses the problems associated with the prior art loops and provides for a loop which reduces the pinching of blood vessels as well as increasing the traction and thus reducing slippage of the loop while wrapped around the blood vessel.